Did you attend Arts Advocacy Day 2008? Got any thoughts on the day?
Send any and ALL anecdotes, thoughts, reactions, etc. to your Peers at peers@umn.edu to be uploaded
to the site. These will serve as resources for all who couldn't attend or those who have yet to get informed about the
importance of arts advocacy.
Create a Legacy
VOTE
YES!
Protect our Lakes, Land, & Way of Life
THE GREAT OUTDOORS & HERITAGE
AMENDMENT
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Arts Advocacy Day, February 14, 2008 - A RECAP:
The Mission of the Day:
-"Pass the Great Outdoors &
Heritage Amendment Now!"
The Goals of the Day:
-Ask legislators to pass the Great Outdoors & Heritage Amendment
-To let legislators
know what arts activities are going on in their districts
-To give a face to the
arts in each legislator's district
The Big Arts Issue This Year:
-Pass the Great Outdoors & Heritage Amendment
**The
Great Outdoors & Heritage Amendment was passed in both the House & the Senate and will appear on the ballot in November!!!!!**
_________________________________________________________________________________________
WHAT IS THE GREAT OUTDOORS & HERITAGE AMENDMENT?
In November of 2008, on the 150th anniversary of our state, Minnesota voters will have an historic opportunity
to invest in clean water, wildlife, cultural heritage and natural areas for future generations. Voters will be asked the following
question on the ballot:
"Clean Water, Wildlife, Cultural
Heritage and Natural Areas"
"Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to
dedicate funding to protect our drinking water sources; to protect, enhance, and restore our wetlands, prairies, forests,
and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve our arts and cultural heritage; to support our parks and trails; and to
protect, enhance, and restore our lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater by increasing the sales and use tax rate beginning
July 1, 2009, by three-eights of one percent on taxable sales until the year 2034? Yes.....No....."
How Will the Arts & Culture Benefit?
If passed by the voters, this amendment will raise approximately $58 million annually for the arts, arts education,
history, and cultural heritage. This amount would increase slightly over time because of inflation. Funding to the Minnesota
State Arts Board and Regional Arts Councils now is about $10.2 million/year, and would increase to about $30M/year in the
first year, and then increase with inflation over the next 25 years. Arts organizations and activities in the state will benefit
from a doubling or tripling of arts funding to help them serve Minnesotans statewide. Currently there is no district state
funding for arts education, separate from ordinary education system funding, and some portion of the funding will be designated
for arts education.
Is there anything
I can do to help?
YES!
4 simple ways you can help the cause:
1. Join MCA's (Minnesota Citizens for the Arts) email Arts Alert list,
and be the first to hear arts news from MCA
Go to MCA's website at www.mncitizensforthearts.org or send an email to
staff@mncitizensforthearts.org to join the Arts Alert List
2. Volunteer to help pass the constitutional amendment this November.
Watch arts alert for opportunities to get involved.
You can also put your name on MCA's volunteer list by sending an email to:
staff@minnesotacitizensforthearts.org
3. Vote
for the constitutional amendment. Tell your friends & co-workers to vote too!
4. Send a thank you letter to your legislators when you get home asking them
to support the arts. Get your friends to write a short letter too.
According to Rep. Alice Hausman
"Ten letters can
influence a legislator"
Your letter can be very short
and simple. All you need to include is:
- Your Name and home address
- An opening sentence that says, for example:
"Thanks for meeting
with us on Arts Advocacy Day"
'm sorry I didn't get to meet
with you on Arts Advocacy Day"
"I hope you will support the arts with
me"
- If you have more time, you can also add a few notes about the arts in your town and how important
they are to your community. That's it!
Send your letters to
the following addresses:
Representative ___________
Senator________
c/o MN House of Representatives
c/o MN State Senate
State Office Building
State Capitol Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
St. Paul, MN 55155